Micahpalooza '09: Ingloriously mundane

"I can't believe I'm going to work on my birthday! I can't believe I'm doing laundry on my birthday! I can't believe I’m paying for sex on my birthday!" - Jim Gaffigan

It was a pretty low-key weekend - really low-key, actually - and the high point was seeing Inglorious Basterds in a packed theater last night. Of course, that's faint praise when this weekend's other main activities were goofing off on Facebook, doing laundry, trimming my beard, and going grocery shopping. But still, it's a great movie.

Today is my actual birthday and I celebrated by fading into my cube at work*. The celebration continues as I join my team for pub trivia night at the Patrick Henry Pub. Maybe I'll indulge myself and have two (!) beers tonight. But then again, I have to keep my wits about me so I can drop science on everyone in the joint.

After that, it'll be around midnight by the time I get home so it's bedtime. Exciting, huh?


*I didn't at all mind not being recognized as I hate the spotlight and prefer to be the perimeter of attention.

Micahpalooza '09: Thwarted!

Today I figured that I'd go to a movie that I'd really been wanting to see for quite some time now - Funny People. Whoops! It's gone from the local multiplex already. Oh, well. I guess I'll catch that one on DVD. At two hours and twenty minutes long, the movie is way beyond the limit I set for the Byrd's extremely unforgiving seats.

So, instead I made some noodles and watched the third season of "The State".

Tonight it's just a boy and his (sister's) dog, some pistachio almond ice cream, a nice pipe, and Let the Right One In (my brother highly recommended it).

Micahpalooza '09: It came from outer space!

Unlike previous Micahpaloozas, where my friends and I took extravagant jaunts to Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, and other exotic locales, this year's Micahpalooza will be a little different. Due to the bad economy, childbirth, and the laughably small sum in my checking account, this year's event will be a staypalooza consisting of a series of smaller, less expensive trips around town.

For instance, tonight things are kicked off with a trip to the moviehouse for a live riffing of Plan 9 From Outer Space by Mystery Science Theater 3000 alums (and current Rifftrax overlords) Mike Nelson*, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett, beamed via satellite from Nashville. Oddly enough, this will be my first time watching Ed Wood's legendary so-bad-its-good classic.

At least it will be assuming that tickets are still available. I'm too cheap to shell out an extra $2 taking an ideologically-driven stand against online ticket sellers that charge exorbitant "convenience" fees, so I intend on just showing up and buying my ticket at the box office. If it turns out that I'm S.O.L., my back-up plan involves a bag of animal crackers, tonight's episode of "Royal Pains", and a good night's sleep.


*In the age-old nerdy Joel/Mike debate, I'm a proud member of Team Mike.

Quick movie reviews

District 9: The marketing folks have been pretty good about keeping the plot a secret and it's best if you go in fresh, so I'll just say that I really, really enjoyed this film. I knew going in that it was shot "documentary style" which are usually code words for "camera work by epileptics off their meds", but it really does largely follow a documentary conceit (though there is a bit of excessive shaking, it's not Bourne Ultimatum bad). Highly recommended.

Juno: In the words of Men on Film: hated it! Okay, that's a bit harsh to describe my feelings, since I thought the acting, direction, etc. was serviceable. It's the dialogue that I couldn't stand and that pretty much ruined the movie for me. Maybe if screenwriter Diablo Cody toned it down some so not every line out of Juno's mouth was a pop culture-referencing zinger slathered in a sauce made out of hipster irony, I could cut the film some slack. But she didn't and making Juno that annoying prevented me from feeling anything for her during the girl's Big Emotional Scenes. But I do agree that Sonic Youth is just noise and they suck.

Ghost World: Now this is female-centered hipster irony done right. Steve Buscemi was excellent playing the sad sack (that kind of role seems to be in his wheelhouse). I wish I didn't wait so long to finally catch this film.

I never thought that I'd see the day.

Richmond's victory will live forever on a Coke can. It's beautiful!

Song to close out the weekend: "Clint Eastwood" by Gorillaz

I remember when I first heard Gorillaz' "Clint Eastwood". It was March 2001 and I was with some friends in a bar in Scotland. This crazy animated video came on the TV set by our booth. Then I heard Del's rapping (I'd been a fan of his for years and even witnessed him do an unbelievable freestyle in the studio of my college radio station). Immediately I loved it. I had seen posters advertising the single lining the streets in the days prior to this night, but never got the chance to listen to it. Apparently, it was a hit. And that confirmed my feelings that what makes the pop charts in the UK is infinitely cooler than the typical songs on its American counterpart.

Well, this song (along with "Feel Good Inc." and "Re-Hash") is coming to Rock Band this week and it'll be an immediate purchase for me. My friends and family have long said the my MC skills were akin to a young Del tha Funkee Homosapien and now I'll have an excuse to bust out some rhymes in the comfort of my own home, while banging away on a fake plastic instrument.

Bonus Crush of the Week: Leslie Mann

This week's Bonus Crush is actress Leslie Mann, lately of Funny People (which I really want to see). She's been a favorite of mine ever since The Cable Guy.



Her delivery of the line "let's get some fuckin' French toast" never fails to crack me up.

Crush of the Week: Rachel Nichols

This week's Crush is actress Rachel Nichols, who plays Scarlett in this weekend's G.I. Joe movie.



She was also the green alien babe in Star Trek. Because of her two lauded performances, Rachel's pretty much the official Crush of the 2009 Summer Movie Season.

Requiem for the mayor of Shermer, IL

R.I.P. John Hughes, 1950-2009



His films were a HUGE part of my adolescence. Bummer.

Exhibit A in the case against rocking the vote

And to think that some people want to encourage a large young voter turnout.